Waze's next wave: Helping you find the best parking spot

How much time do you spend looking for a parking spot? More specifically, how many times have you arrived at a particular destination after using a navigation system, then realized you have no idea where to park?

Makes you want to just stay home and binge Netflix and tear open that second Pop Tart package, doesn't it?

Fret not, homebody. Everyone's favorite crowdsourced GPS app, Waze, is giving you a really good reason to get off the couch, get out there and enjoy your city. It's a new feature called "Where to park" that is pretty self-explanatory, and very, very cool.

Waze was founded in 2008 by Israeli entrepreneur and Tel Aviv University alum Ehud Shabtai. The startup was acquired by Google in 2013. Now it's the world’s largest community-centric navigation app, allowing users to warn one another about roadside hazards, crashes, traffic jams and other delays and even recommend the cheapest spots for gasoline. And with the recent merger with Kirkland, Wash.-based INRIX, you'll now be able to select and navigate to a conveniently located parking lot when approaching a final destination, as well as find out which parking lots are most convenient before you leave.

Searching for parking can be a stressful experience. A new feature on the Waze app could make that easier. (Photo: pcruciatti/Shutterstock)

"Driving around looking for spots impacts arrival times and adds unneeded frustration and stress to the entire driving experience," Flavia Sasaki Siqueira, head of business development for Waze, said in a statement. "As the co-pilot for driver navigation, Waze has begun to rollout the first of its parking suite features to solve this issue for drivers. Combining INRIX parking information with our own parking database expands reach and accuracy of the 'where to park' feature."

Prior to being acquired by Waze, INRIX was integrated into the in-car navigation systems of Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota and Volkswagen.

The feature is available on both Android and iOS versions of the Waze app.

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Jaime Bender
is a staff writer, copy editor and web producer at From the Grapevine who also manages Israeli Kitchen, From The Grapevine’s food channel.